Trace Westercamp, St. Augustine Creekside: We first noticed the 6’8 freshman in the fall at the Best of the Best event and he was once again impressive here. Westercamp fits the definition of a “stretch four” with his ability to make perimeter shots out to the arc. Despite being a bit on the thin side, he doesn’t seem to mind the physical play around the basket, at least when it comes to going after rebounds at either end of the floor. Westercamp is a decent ball-handler and passer for his size and age, though those are aspects of his game that he will certainly want to continue to improve upon. He’ll challenge shots in the paint and as his body fills out and gains strength, he should become more of a shot-blocking threat.
Austin Leslie, Gainesville The Rock School: The 6’6 sophomore is very aggressive on the offensive end, looking to make plays by driving the ball to the hoop or tossing in perimeter shots. He is a surprising athlete and gets off the floor quickly for rebounds. Leslie looks to push the ball up the floor quickly, either via the pass or dribble, once he secures a defensive rebound. He moves his feet well on defense and keeps his arms and hands active.
Joseph Gayle, Fort Pierce Central: The 6’4 freshman evidently loves to play as he found a way to play in all three second round games Saturday. To be honest, his first outing of the day was forgettable as he had a lot of missed shots, many of them forced. Gayle turned things around as the day progressed. A very good athlete, Gayle can rocket to the rim, both in transition and against a set defense. He can also heat up from deep and buried a couple of jumpers coming off ball-screens and using the step-back move. Gayle puts his physical gifts to good use on the defensive end, disrupting the passing lanes or harassing opposing ball-handlers into mistakes.
Lawrence Horton, Bartow: If the 6’1 sophomore can play for Coach McGriff and the Yellow Jackets like he did on Saturday, Horton will help get them back into the playoffs sooner rather than later. Horton scored consistently when driving to the basket using a quick first step to get by the initial defender. While his jumper failed to find its target, the form and mechanics are good, so it should just be a matter of repetition to get some consistency. Horton handles the ball well and looks to push the pace whenever the opportunity presents itself.
Tijan Barrie, Jacksonville Potters’ House Christian Academy: The 6’8 sophomore has a strong frame and knows how to use to carve out space inside to score or grab rebounds. He also completed a couple of short drives in traffic and made his free throws when giving the opportunity. Barrie is solid athletically, pursues rebounds in and out of his area, and doesn’t shy away from playing physically at either end of the floor. We didn’t see him unleash any kind of perimeter shot so that would be next on his developmental checklist.
Trevon Torchon, Jacksonville Potter’s House Christian Academy: A 6’3 sophomore, Torchon had several positive moments on Saturday. He made shots from all three levels, got the ball to teammates for easy baskets, pushed the pace after rebounding the ball and forced some turnovers on the defensive end. Torchon has the ability to play either guard spot and make a positive impact. He will be a player to watch in the SIAA next season.
Josh Theus, Orlando Christian Prep: The 6’0 freshman got some run on the 2A state runner-ups this season and looks like he should be a solid contributor as the Warriors look to re-establish their dominance. He played under control, scored when the opportunity arose, and created turnovers on the defensive end. Sure and solid with the basketball, Theus is decisive in making move and then heading for the basket. Generally, he makes good shot vs. pass decisions on the move and doesn’t over penetrate to where he can do nothing with the basketball. He’s another player who will need to continue to work on the consistency of his perimeter shot to elevate his recruiting profile.